Methods and systems to collect a biological sample

ABSTRACT

Sample processing methods and systems to collect a biological sample. A device may be configured collect a predetermined volume of a sample in sample chamber, and seal the chamber upon activation. The device may be further configured to mix the mix the sample with a predetermined volume of a reagent and/or mix the sample and the reagent in a pre-determined ration.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional patentapplication No. 61/672,854, filed Jul. 18, 2012, and is acontinuation-in-part of U.S. utility patent application Ser. No.13/854,718, filed Apr. 1, 2013, which claims the benefit of U.S.provisional patent application No. 61/618,195, filed Mar. 30, 2012, allof which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

BACKGROUND

Conventional devices to collect a biological sample are generally notportable or mechanically actuated.

Conventional devices to collect and/or process a biological samplegenerally do not have an internally automated collecting and measuringsystem visible to a user.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS/FIGURES

FIG. 1A is a cut-away side-view of a sample processing device to collectand dilute a biological sample.

FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional top-down view of the device of FIG. 1A,corresponding to a view 1B in FIG. 1A.

FIG. 2A is cut-away side-view of a portion of another device to collectand dilute a biological sample.

FIG. 2B illustrates example features of the device of FIG. 2A.

FIG. 2C illustrates example features of the device of FIG. 2A.

FIG. 2D illustrates example features of the device of FIG. 2A.

FIG. 2E illustrates example features of the device of FIG. 2A.

FIG. 2F illustrates example features of the device of FIG. 2A.

FIG. 3A is top-down view of another device to collect, dilute, and testa biological sample.

FIG. 3B is a cut-away side-view of a portion of the device of FIG. 3A.

FIG. 3C is a cut-away top-down view of a portion of the device of FIG.3A.

FIG. 3D is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the device of FIG. 3A.

FIG. 4A is a perspective view of another sample processing device tocollect and dilute a biological sample.

FIG. 4B illustrates example features of the device of FIG. 4A.

FIG. 4C illustrates example features of the device of FIG. 4A.

FIG. 5 is a cut-away side-view of another sample processing device tocollect and dilute a biological sample.

FIG. 6 is a cut-away side view of a sample processing device having acapillary tube port to receive a capillary tube.

FIG. 7A is a cut-away side-view of a sample processing device to receivea syringe.

FIG. 7B is a cut-away side-view of the device of FIG. 7A in an openposition.

FIG. 7C is a top-down view of the device of FIG. 7A in the openposition.

FIG. 8A is cut-away side-view of another device to collect and dilute abiological sample.

FIG. 8B is a cut-away side-view of a cap to seal a fluid outlet of thedevice of FIG. 8A.

FIG. 9A is a side view of a sample collection device.

FIG. 9B is a view of the sample collection device viewed from exteriorof the collection device.

FIG. 9C is a side view of the collection device with a sample collectionand measuring feature filled with biological sample.

FIG. 9D is a side view of the sample collection device after beingactivation.

In the drawings, the leftmost digit(s) of a reference number mayidentify the drawing in which the reference number first appears.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1A is a cut-away side-view of a sample processing device 100 tocollect and dilute a biological sample.

FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional top-down view of device 100, correspondingto a view 1B in FIG. 1A.

Device 100 includes a housing 102 having an inlet 150 and a firstchamber 120, also referred to herein as a sample chamber 120, to collector receive a biological sample through inlet 150. Device 100 may beconfigured to collect or receive a predetermined volume of thebiological sample in sample chamber 120.

Device 100 further includes a reagent chamber 125, which may bepre-loaded with a reagent.

Device 100 further includes a first plunger 110 structured to slide intosample chamber 120, and a second plunger 115 structured to slide intoreagent chamber 125. Device 100 further includes an external mechanicalactuator 105 to control first and second plungers 110 and 115.

External actuator 105 may be configured to simultaneously move plungers110 and 115, to cause plunger 110 to move the biological sample fromsample chamber 120 through a fluid outlet of chamber 120, and to causeplunger 115 to move the reagent from reagent chamber 125 through a fluidoutlet of chamber 125.

Device 100 may be configured to combine and/or mix the biological sampleand reagent in a mixing chamber 130, and to dispense the combinedbiological sample and reagent through a fluid path 132 to a fluid outlet134.

Fluid outlet 134 may correspond to a fluid outlet of device 100, and maybe configured to receive an attachment, such to provide the combinedbiological sample and reagent to one or more other devices and/or tools,such as for processing and/or diagnostics. The one or more other devicesand/or tools may include, without limitation, a cassette and/or lateralflow strip.

Alternatively, or additionally, housing 102 may include an assay regionto receive fluid from fluid path 132 and/or fluid outlet 134. The assayregion may include, without limitation, a lateral flow strip.

Device 100 may be configured to seal sample chamber 120 upon activationof external actuator 105. Device 100 may include, for example, anexterior cover to seal inlet 150 and prevent the sample from exitingdevice 100 through inlet 150 upon activation external actuator 105, suchas described below with reference to FIG. 2D.

Device 100 may be configured to combine and/or mix the biological samplefrom sample chamber 120 with a predetermined volume of liquid reagentfrom reagent chamber 125 in mixing chamber 130. Device 100 may befurther configured to combine and/or mix the biological sample and theliquid reagent from reagent in accordance with a pre-determined ratio.In FIG. 1B, for example, cross-sectional areas of sample chamber 120 andreagent chamber 125 sized or dimensioned to provide a desired reagent tosample ratio.

In some embodiments sample chamber 120 and reagent chamber 125 arepositioned in series with respect to each other.

Device 100 may further include a filter, which may be positioned withina filter area proximate to sample inlet 150. In the examples of FIGS. 1Aand 1B, device 100 includes a filter 145.

Filter 145 may be structured or configured to filter or remove unwantedmaterial from a collected sample such as, for example, to remove red orwhite blood cells from a blood sample. A red blood filter may be usefulto provide blood plasma to sample chamber 120 through inlet 150. Filter145 may include a pad made from a material selected from the following:nitrocellulose, glass fiber, nylon, and/or other synthetic(s) materialand/or compound. Filter 145 may include one or more reagents thereonand/or therein, (e.g., dried on filter 145), to contact and/or treat thebiological sample.

Device 100 may include a wick within inlet 150, which may be in contactwith filter 145 to draw liquid through filter 145 into sample chamber120.

Device 100 may include a capillary tube between filter 145 and samplechamber 120 to collect a predetermined volume of a filtered biologicalsample from filter 145. Device 100 may be may be configured to fill thecapillary tube and retain any excess biological sample in the filterarea.

FIG. 2A is cut-away side-view of a portion of a device 200 to collectand dilute a biological sample. FIGS. 2B through 2F illustrate examplefeatures of device 200. One or more features described below withreference to FIGS. 2A through 2F may be combined with one or morefeatures described above with respect to device 100. Device 100 is not,however, limited to the examples of FIGS. 2A through 2F.

In FIG. 2A, device 200 includes a housing 202 having a sample receivingregion 240, a fluid inlet 230 to sample receiving region 240, and afluid outlet 235 from sample receiving region 240. Fluid inlet 230 maybe configured to provide a reagent from a reagent chamber and/or a washsolution to sample receiving region 240.

Sample receiving region 240 may include a sample well.

Device 200 further includes a door or cover 205 to enclose samplereceiving region 240. Door 205, when closed, may form one or morechambers within and/or adjacent to sample receiving region 240. Cover205 may have a fluid path 210 to provide fluid from fluid inlet 230 tosample receiving region 240 when in a closed position. Fluid path 210may be configured to distribute the fluid over an area of samplereceiving region 240.

In the example of FIG. 2A, device 200 further includes a hinge 215 tohingedly connect cover 205 to housing 202. Also in the example of FIG.2A, housing 202 includes a latch 225 to retain cover 205 when cover 205is placed in the closed position. FIG. 2C is a top-down view of device200 corresponding to a view 2C in FIG. 2A, illustrating door 205, fluidpath 210, and hinge 215. Device 200 is not, however, limited to a hingedcover.

Housing 202 may have a sealing surface 220 to seal sample receivingregion 240 when cover 205 is in the closed position. Sealing surface 220may include a gasket 250 in FIG. 2B, a deformable surface 252 in FIG.2D, O-rings 254 and 256 in FIG. 2E, and/or a deformable surface 258 inFIG. 2F. In FIG. 2B, gasket 250 has an opening 260 corresponding tosample receiving region 240 in FIG. 2A, and an opening 262 correspondingto fluid path 210 in FIG. 2A. Similar openings are illustrated in FIGS.2D, 2E, and 2F.

FIG. 3A is top-down view of a device 300 to collect, dilute, and test abiological sample. Device 300 includes a housing having a sample inlet305, a sealing surface 310, a sliding surface 320, and a lateral flowtest 315. Sealing surface 310 and sliding surface 320 may be configuredto slide toward one-another to seal sample inlet 305 and/or to activatedevice 300, such as described in one or more examples below.

FIG. 3B is a cut-away side-view of device 300, corresponding to a view3B in FIG. 3A, in which sealing surface 310 and sliding surface 320 areconfigured to slide toward one-another in the directions ofcorresponding arrows 311 and 321, to seal sample collection area 305 andto activate or control a sample plunger 335 to move a sample from sampleinlet 305 into and/or through a sample chamber 340.

In the example of FIG. 3B, device 300 further includes a samplecollection pad 330 within sample inlet 305.

FIG. 3C is a cut-away top-down view of a portion of device 300,including sample inlet 305, sample plunger 335, and sample chamber 340within a housing 302. Housing 302 further includes a reagent chamber 350and a reagent plunger 345. Sample plunger 335 and reagent plunger 345may be mechanically linked to the closing of device 300, and may beconfigured to activate when sealing surface 310 and sliding surface 320(FIGS. 3A and 3B) are pressed together to seal sample inlet 305.

Plungers 335 and 345 may be configured to move contents of samplechamber 340 and reagent chamber 355, respectively, such as described inone or more examples herein. In the example of FIG. 3C, housing 302further includes a collection chamber 370 to receive, combine, and/ormix contents of sample chamber 340 with contents of chamber 355.

FIG. 3D is a cross-sectional view of device 300 (side-view or end-view),in which collection chamber 370 is illustrated with a mixture 380 of aliquid reagent and sample. In the example of FIG. 3D, housing 302further includes a fluid passage 372 between collection chamber 370 anda test region 385, and a wicking material 375 within fluid passage 372to wick mixture 380 to test region 385. Lateral flow test 315 (FIG. 3A)may be positioned within test region 385 to permit viewing of testresults through a window 390.

FIG. 4A is a perspective view of a sample processing device 400 tocollect and dilute a biological sample. FIGS. 4B and 4C illustrateexample features of device 400.

Device 400 includes a top portion 405 having an alignment key 425extending therefrom, body portion 430 having a key slot 420 to receivekey 425, a sample port 415 to receive a sample, a rotatable plunger 410,and a nozzle 435.

Top portion 405 is rotatable about plunger 410 to align key 425 withslot 420. When key 425 is aligned with slot 420, top portion 405 may bepressed towards body portion 430 to activate plunger 410.

When key 425 is aligned with slot 420, sample inlet 415 may be alignedwith a sealing surface, tube, and/or plunger within body portion 405 toprovide a sealed chamber.

FIG. 4B is top-down cross-sectional view of body portion 430,corresponding to view 4B in FIG. 4A. In FIG. 4B, body portion 430 has aliquid reagent chamber 440 dimensioned to accommodate plunger 410, asample chamber 445, and an opening 450 dimensioned to accommodate key425.

FIG. 4C is a cut-away side-view of body portion 430, depicting liquidreagent chamber 440 and sample chamber 445.

FIG. 5 is a cut-away side-view of a sample processing device 500 tocollect and dilute a biological sample. Device 500 includes a housing502 having a liquid reagent chamber 515 and a sample chamber 525,illustrated herein in a parallel configuration. Device 500 furtherincludes a filter 520 downstream of parallel chambers 525 and 515.Device 500 further includes a first plunger, including a nested plungerupper portion 535 and a nested plunger lower portion 530 in liquidreagent chamber 515. Device 500 further includes a second plunger 510that is rotatable into sample chamber 525, such as after addition of asample. Nested plunger portions 535 and 530, and plunger 510 aremechanically linked by an actuator portion 505.

FIG. 6 is a cut-away side view of a sample processing device 600 havinga capillary tube port 605 to receive a capillary tube 602. Capillarytube 602 may be configured to collect or receive a sample for transferto device 600.

Device 600 includes a sample plunger 625, a liquid reagent plunger 610and a corresponding nested plunger 615 dimensioned for a liquid reagentchamber 630. Device 600 further includes a mechanical actuator 620 tolink liquid reagent plunger 615 to sample plunger 625.

Mechanical actuator 620 is twistable to align plunger 625 with capillaryport 605. When plunger 625 is aligned with capillary port 605, actuator620 is depressible to dispense sample from capillary tube 602 and liquidreagent from liquid reagent chamber 630, and through a fluid outlet 635where the sample and the liquid reagent mix. The sample may be dispensedfrom capillary tube 602 by plunger 625, alone and/or in combination withair pressure and/or additional liquid.

FIG. 7A is a cut-away side-view of a sample processing device 700 toreceive a syringe 702. Device 700 includes first and second housingportions 704 and 706, respectively, hingedly connected to one anotherwith a hinge 710. In the example of FIG. 7A, device 700 is illustratedin a closed position.

FIG. 7B is a cut-away side-view of device 700 in an open position.

FIG. 7C is a top-down view of device 700 in the open position.

Device 700 includes first and second housing portions 704 and 706,respectively. Device 700 further includes a sample collection area 705and a syringe inlet 715 to receive syringe 702.

In the open position, sample collection area 705 is exposed to receive asample.

In the closed position, a sealing surface 720 first housing portion 704contacts a surface 740 of second housing portion 706 to enclose samplecollection area 705, and device 700 provides a fluid path 725 betweensyringe inlet 715 and a fluid outlet 750, through sample collection area705.

To operate, sample is added to sample area 705 while device 700 is inthe open position. Device 700 may then be closed latched to enclose andseal sample collection area 705. When syringe is inserted at syringeinlet 715, a liquid within syringe 715 may dispensed through fluid path725 and a corresponding product may be collected at fluid outlet 750.

FIG. 8A is cut-away side-view of a device 800 to collect and dilute abiological sample.

Device 800 includes an outer housing portion 870, and an inner housingportion 868 having a sample chamber 835 and liquid reagent chamber 840.

Device 800 is configured to mix sample from chamber 835 and liquidreagent from chamber 840 at a fluid outlet 845.

There is a sample inlet 850 and a sample filter 855.

Device 800 may include a sample filter 855, such as described in one ormore examples herein.

Device 800 may include one or more nested or multistage plungers toinitiate multiple mechanical actions. In the example of FIG. 8, a sampleplunger includes a plunger portion 805 to nest within a plunger portion810, to nest within a plunger portion 815. Also in FIG. 8, a liquidreagent plunger includes a plunger portion 820 to nest within a plungerportion 825, to nest within a plunger portion 830.

Device 800 further includes a mechanical actuator 860 to link the sampleand reagent plungers to dispense sample and reagent proportionally. InFIG. 8, mechanical actuator 860 is configured to move internal housingportion 865 relative to outer housing portion 870, to close or sealsample inlet 850 against an inner wall of outer housing portion 870, andprovide a sealed chamber.

Plunger portion 815 may include a retractable arm 802 to prevent plungerportion 815 from inserting further into sample chamber 835 until housingportions 865 and 870 are positioned to seal sample inlet 850 asdescribed. Similarly, plunger portion 830 may include a retractable arm804 to prevent plunger portion 830 from inserting further into reagentchamber 840 until sample inlet 850 is sealed.

Device 800 may include a plunger 875 to clear liquid from fluid outlet845 after sample chamber 835 and reagent chamber 840 are emptied. Thismay permit greater volume output from each run.

In some embodiments a length of sample collection chamber 835 ispositioned next to a length of reagent chamber 840. Where the lengthsare the same, the sample and reagent solutions may dispense at aproportional rate to provide a solution that is evenly mixed as it isdispensed.

In some embodiments either sample chamber 835 and/or reagent chamber 840may have multiple stages to release first one fluid and then anotherfluid.

In some embodiments one or more plungers is mechanically linked to oneor more covers. In such an embodiment, activation of the plunger(s) alsomoves the corresponding cover(s) into place to close or seal samplecollection area 885 to prevent contamination or leaking.

Device 800 may include a cover or cap to plug or seal a fluid output 845prior to use, such as described below with reference to FIG. 8B.

FIG. 8B is a cut-away side-view of a cap 882, including a plug 884 toseal fluid outlet 845 of device 800 in FIG. 8A, and a cavity or well 886to receive a wall 880 extending from outer housing portion 870 of device800. Cap 882 is not necessarily illustrated in proportion to features ofdevice 800 in FIG. 8A.

Plug 884, or a portion thereof may be configured to insert snugly withinfluid outlet 845 in FIG. 8A, and/or to seal against a surface innerhousing 865 in FIG. 8A. A portion of plug 884 may be configured toinsert snugly within an opening 881 of outer housing portion 870 in FIG.8. Cap 882 may be used plug fluid outlet 845 prior to running oractivating device 800, and may be removed before use or activation ofdevice 800. Cap 882 may be configured to prevent accidental activationof device 800.

Examples are provided herein in which a device is configured to dispensefluids from a sample chamber and a reagent chamber in parallel with oneanother. Methods and systems disclosed herein are not, however, limitedto parallel arrangements and, unless specified otherwise herein, suchdevices may be configured to dispense fluids from a sample chamber and areagent chamber serially.

A device as described in one or more examples above may include one ormore features described below with respect to FIGS. 9A through 9D. Theexamples above are not, however, limited to the examples of FIGS. 9Athrough 9D.

FIGS. 9A through 9D illustrate a sample processing device 900 tocollect, measure, and dispense a biological sample 904 (illustratedherein with shading).

Device 900 includes a housing that has a sample collection well 902therein to receive a biological sample 904, and a sample chamber 906 tohaving an opening at a first end to receive biological sample 904 fromwell 902.

Sample chamber 906 may be dimensioned (e.g., with a sufficiently smallcross-sectional diameter), such that surface tension caused by cohesionwithin biological sample 904, and/or adhesive forces between biologicalsample 904 and a wall or surface of sample chamber 906, act to drawbiological sample 904 from well 902. Such action may be referred toherein as capillary action, and sample chamber 906 may be referred toherein as a capillary tube.

Device 900 may include a valve, such as a surface tension valve, atsecond end of capillary tube 906 to retain biological sample 904 withincapillary tube 906.

The housing may include an opening through a surface thereof to providebiological sample 904 to well 902. Device 900 may include a permeablematerial positioned within the opening, such as a membrane or pad. Thepermeable surface may include a marking to indicate a point or positionat which to apply biological sample 904. The marking may include, forexample, a circular marking having an outer ring of a first color (e.g.,red), and an inner circle of a second color (e.g., white), such as toindicate a position at which to place a pinpricked finger to collect ablood sample. The marking, or a portion thereof, may be placed on asurface of the housing around the opening to well 902.

Device 900 may be configured and/or calibrated to receive, capture,and/or hold a predetermined amount of biological sample 904, and mayinclude a marking 910 to indicate a position along capillary tube 920that corresponds to the pre-determined amount of biological sample 905.In an embodiment, capillary tube 906, alone and/or in combination withwell 902, is configured and/or calibrated to receive, capture, and/orhold the predetermined amount of biological sample 904, and marking 910positioned at an end of capillary tube 906, opposite well 902, toidentify a point at which capillary tube 906 is full.

Device 900 may be configured or implemented such that marking 910 andbiological sample 904 within capillary tube 906, or within at least aportion of capillary tube 906 proximate to marking 910, is visible to auser. For example, capillary tube 906, or a portion thereof, may beoptically transparent and may be exposed to a user, along with marking910, at least during a sample collection phase.

FIG. 9A illustrates device 900 prior to introduction of biologicalsample 904.

In FIG. 9B, collection well 902 and a portion of capillary tube 906include a biological sample 904. Indicator 910 provides a visualindication that insufficient biological sample 904 has been collected.In this situation, a user may need to wait for until capillary tube 906to fill with biological sample 904. If biological sample 904 is notadvancing within capillary tube 906, the user may need to add or provideadditional biological sample 904.

In FIG. 9C, capillary tube 906 is filled with biological sample 904, upto marking 910, indicating that device 900 contains sufficient (i.e.,the pre-determined amount of) biological sample 904. In the example ofFIG. 9C, the shading of biological sample 904 effectively “connects thedots” of well 902 and indicator 910.

The housing of device 900 may include first and second portions 912 and914, respectively. First portion 912 may be referred to herein as a cap.First portion 912 may be extendable from within a second portion 912, ina telescoping fashion, to place device 900 in a first position in whichthe opening to well 902 is exposed to a user. The first position mayalso be referred to herein as an open position and/or a samplecollection position. FIGS. 9A and 9C illustrate device 900 in the samplecollection position.

After biological sample 904 is received or collected within capillarytube 906, first and second portions 912 and 914 may be pressed towardsone another to place device 900 in a second position in which theopening to well 902 is sealed, such as illustrated in FIG. 9D. Thesecond position may also be referred to herein as a closed collectionposition.

Device 900 may be configured such that marking 910 and at least aportion of capillary tube 906 are exposed or visible to a user when inthe open position, such as described further above. Device 900 may befurther configured such marking 910 and capillary tube 906 are concealedby cap 914 when in the closed position. Alternatively, marking 910 andcapillary tube 906, or a portion thereof, may remain exposed when device900 is in the closed position.

Device 900 may be further configured such that collection well 902and/or a marking proximate to the opening to well 902, are exposed orvisible exterior of device 900 when in the open position and/or in theclosed position.

In an embodiment, device 900 is configured such that collection well902, marking 910, and a portion of capillary tube 906 proximate tomarking 910 are exposed when in at least the first position, and aremaining portion of capillary tube 906 is concealed in the firstposition and the second position.

The housing of device 900 may include one or more extensions 916, whichmay serve as a finger grasp. For example, an end 918 of device may bepositioned within a palm of a hand, and extension(s) 916 may be graspedwith fingers of the hand to compress first and second portions 912 and914 toward one another.

Device 900 may further include a fluid controller and mechanicalactuator to dispense biological sample 904 from capillary tube 906. Themechanical actuator may be configured to actuate the fluid controller asdevice 900 is moved from the open position to the closed position. Inthis example, closing of device 900 may be referred to as activating orrunning device 900.

During activation, plungers within the cap 914 may be controllable todispense biological sample 904 from capillary tube 906. Device may beconfigured such that biological sample 904 is dispensed directly fromcapillary tube 906 through an outlet or nozzle 908. In anotherembodiment, the housing of device 900 includes a reagent chamber to holda liquid reagent, and one or more plunger are configured to dispense andmix biological sample 904 proportionally with the liquid reagent,internal of the housing.

Device 900 may be configured to dispense the mixture of biologicalsample 904 and liquid reagent as they are mixed, and/or may beconfigured to hold the mixture for a period of time, such as for apre-determined assay period, and/or for storage and/or transport.

Nozzle 908 may be configured to mate with a fluid inlet of an assaydevice and/or sample holding or transport device.

Device 900 may be configured and/or implemented as part of an assaydevice.

In an embodiment a length of a capillary tube extends alongside a lengthof a reagent chamber, and a fluid controller is configured to dispenseand mix biological sample from the capillarity tube and reagent from thereagent chamber in parallel with one another. In an example, the lengthof the capillary tube is the same as the length of the reagent chamber,and a volume of the capillary tube differs from a volume of the reagentchamber to provide a pre-determined proportional mixture. In anotherexample, the length of the capillary tube is the same as the length ofthe reagent chamber and the volume of the capillary tube is the same asthe volume of the reagent chamber to provide a mixture of equalproportions of biological sample and reagent.

In another embodiment, the fluid controller is configured to dispensebiological sample from the capillarity tube and reagent from the reagentchamber serially with respect to one another.

In an embodiment a capillary tube and/or a reagent chamber includemultiple stages, and a fluid controller is configured to seriallydispense the stages.

Methods and systems are disclosed herein with the aid of functionalbuilding blocks illustrating the functions, features, and relationshipsthereof. At least some of the boundaries of these functional buildingblocks have been arbitrarily defined herein for the convenience of thedescription. Alternate boundaries may be defined so long as thespecified functions and relationships thereof are appropriatelyperformed.

While various embodiments are disclosed herein, it should be understoodthat they have been presented by way of example only, and notlimitation. It will be apparent to persons skilled in the relevant artthat various changes in form and detail may be made therein withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the methods and systems disclosedherein. Thus, the breadth and scope of the claims should not be limitedby any of the example embodiments disclosed herein.

What is claimed is:
 1. An apparatus, comprising: a portable housinghaving a cavity therein to receive a biological sample through anopening through a surface of the housing, a sample chamber, a firstopening of the sample chamber through which to draw the biologicalsample from the cavity through capillary action, and a second opening ofthe sample chamber through which to dispense the biological sample; anda first indicator calibrated with respect to the sample chamber; whereinat least a portion of a wall of the sample chamber adjacent to the firstindicator is optically transparent and visible exterior of the housing;the housing is mechanically configurable in a first configuration toreceive the biological sample, and mechanically re-configurable from thefirst configuration to a second configuration; the housing is configuredto close the cavity when the housing is re-configured from the firstconfiguration to the second configuration; and a mechanically actuatedfluid controller to dispense fluid from the sample chamber through thesecond opening of the sample chamber, as the housing is mechanicallyreconfigured from the first configuration to the second configuration.2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first indicator includes one ormore markings calibrated with respect to one or more of: a positionalong a length of the sample chamber that corresponds to apre-determined volume of the biological sample; and a position along alength of the sample chamber that corresponds to completion of receiptof the biological sample.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: thehousing further includes reagent region to hold a reagent, a fluidoutlet, and one or more fluid paths amongst the second opening of thesample chamber, the reagent region, and the fluid outlet; and themechanically actuated fluid controller is further to dispense fluid fromthe reagent region to the fluid outlet.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3,wherein the housing and the mechanically actuated fluid controller areconfigured to dispense the biological sample and the reagent based on apre-determined ratio.
 5. An apparatus, comprising: a portable housinghaving a cavity therein to receive a biological sample through anopening through a surface of the housing, a sample chamber, a firstopening of the sample chamber through which to draw the biologicalsample from the cavity through capillary action, and a second opening ofthe sample chamber through which to dispense the biological sample; afirst indicator calibrated with respect to the sample chamber; whereinat least a portion of a wall of the sample chamber adjacent to the firstindicator is optically transparent and visible exterior of the housing;the housing further includes a reagent region to hold a reagent, a fluidoutlet, and one or more fluid paths amongst the second opening of thesample chamber, the reagent region, and the fluid outlet; a mechanicallyactuated fluid controller to dispense fluid from the second opening ofthe sample chamber and from the reagent region to the fluid outlet; andwherein the reagent region includes multiple reagent chambers, andwherein the housing and the mechanically actuated fluid controller areconfigured to dispense reagent from the multiple reagent chambers tosuccessive stages of actuation of the mechanically actuated fluidcontroller through successive fluid paths.
 6. The apparatus of claim 5,wherein the mechanically actuated fluid controller is further configuredto dispense the biological sample and a portion of the reagent inaccordance with a pre-determined ratio.
 7. The apparatus of claim 5,wherein the fluid controller includes at least one of: multiple fluidcontrollers mechanically linked to one another; multiple controllers ofdifferent sizes mechanically linked to one another; multiple nestedportions to provide staged actions as the fluid controller is moved froma first position to a second position; and multiple nested portions toprovide staged actions as the fluid controller is moved from a firstposition to a second position, and a portion to activate another fluidcontroller to clear remaining liquid from the fluid outlet.
 8. Theapparatus of claim 5, further including at least one of: amechanically-releasable lock to preclude actuation of the fluidcontroller when engaged; and a rotatable mechanical actuator to unlockthe fluid controller when rotated into a predetermined position.
 9. Theapparatus of claim 5, wherein the housing further includes an assayregion adjacent to the fluid outlet.
 10. The apparatus of claim 5,wherein the housing further has a mixing region within a fluid path tothe fluid outlet to mix the biological sample and the reagent.
 11. Theapparatus of claim 5, wherein the sample chamber includes multiplechambers to receive the biological sample.
 12. The apparatus of claim 5,further including a filter positioned within the first opening of thesample chamber.
 13. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the housing has awell to retain excess biological sample to prevent over-filling of thesample chamber.
 14. A device for collecting a biological samplecomprising: a housing having a sample collection well formed therein toreceive a biological sample; a capillary tube disposed within thehousing, the capillary tube having an opening at a first end to receivethe biological sample from the well, and the capillary tube dimensionedwith a cross-sectional diameter such that capillary action draws thebiological sample from the well into the capillary tube; the housingfurther including first and second portions, with the first portionextendable from the second portion to place the device in a firstposition thereby providing an opening to the well, and the first andsecond portions configured to be pressed towards one another to placethe device in a second position in which the opening to the well issealed; and with at least a portion of the capillary tube visible whenthe housing is in the first position; a marking on the housing adjacentthe capillary tube to indicate a position along the capillary tube thatcorresponds to a pre-determined amount of biological sample; and amechanical actuator, configured to dispense the biological sample fromthe capillary tube as the housing is moved from the first position tothe second position, the mechanical actuator further configured tocontrol a plunger disposed within the first portion of the housing todispense the biological sample from the capillary tube.
 15. The deviceof claim 14, further comprising: a reagent chamber, disposed within thehousing, the reagent chamber holding a liquid reagent, and a secondplunger, controlled by the mechanical actuator, and configured todispense and mix the liquid reagent proportionally with the biologicalsample internal of the housing.
 16. The device of claim 14 wherein atleast a portion of the capillary tube remains visible external to thehousing when the device is in the second position.
 17. A device forcollecting a biological sample comprising: a housing having a collectionwell formed therein to receive a biological sample; a conduit, disposedwithin the housing, the conduit having openings at a first end and asecond end, with the opening at the first end receiving the biologicalsample from the well via capillary action and thereby drawing thebiological sample from the well into the conduit; a sample storagechamber, disposed within the housing, and arranged to receive thebiological sample from the conduit; the housing further configurable ina first position and a second position, whereby the first positionprovides an opening to the well, and the second position restrictsaccess to the well; and a mechanical actuator, configured to dispense apredetermined amount of the biological sample from the second end of theconduit into the sample storage chamber via mechanical force; andwherein a portion of the conduit remains visible external to the housingwhen the device is in the second position.
 18. The device of claim 17additionally comprising: a plunger, disposed within the conduit; andwherein the mechanical actuator is further configured to control theplunger to dispense the biological sample into the sample storagechamber.
 19. The device of claim 17 wherein the conduit is a capillarytube.
 20. The device of claim 17 further comprising multiple conduitsreceiving the biological sample from the sample collection well.
 21. Thedevice of claim 17 wherein the sample storage chamber holds a reagent.22. The device of claim 17 wherein the sample storage chamber includes amembrane.
 23. The device of claim 17 wherein the membrane furtherincludes a reagent.
 24. The device of claim 17 additionally wherein: thehousing is formed from first and second portions configured to bepressed towards one another, to configure the device from the firstposition to the second position.
 25. The device of claim 17 wherein themechanical actuator is rotatable.
 26. The device of claim 24 wherein thefirst and second portions of the housing are locked in position when thedevice is moved to the second position.